fend off
phrasal verb
fended off; fending off; fends off
: to defend oneself against (someone or something)
They succeeded in fending off the attack/attackers.
They have had to fend off allegations of voter fraud.
Examples of fend off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Plants spend all spring and summer fending off constant attacks by a horde of insects and disease pathogens.
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Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 13 Sep. 2024
Offline, some women feel compelled to invoke boyfriends—real or fake—to fend off overly persistent pursuers, because too many men respect a boundary only when faced with the prospect of another man’s presence.
—Christine Emba, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2024
Another three-term incumbent, Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, aims to fend off Bernie Moreno, a Republican businessman who owns a network of car dealerships, to keep his seat in a state that Trump won by 8 percentage points in 2020.
—Riley Beggin, USA TODAY, 11 Sep. 2024
Sticking to a regular bathroom cleaning schedule will help fend off mold buildup by tackling the residue that feeds it.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for fend off 
Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 13 Sep. 2024
Offline, some women feel compelled to invoke boyfriends—real or fake—to fend off overly persistent pursuers, because too many men respect a boundary only when faced with the prospect of another man’s presence.
—Christine Emba, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2024
Another three-term incumbent, Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, aims to fend off Bernie Moreno, a Republican businessman who owns a network of car dealerships, to keep his seat in a state that Trump won by 8 percentage points in 2020.
—Riley Beggin, USA TODAY, 11 Sep. 2024
Sticking to a regular bathroom cleaning schedule will help fend off mold buildup by tackling the residue that feeds it.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for fend off
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fend off.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Fend off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fend%20off. Accessed 20 Sep. 2024.
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